FAQs & Resources for Child Care Providers

 

It has been an extraordinarily difficult and trying time for all of us. We are all struggling to figure out the best route to take to protect our health, our families and our businesses. As MSDE requires all Child Care providers to shut down unless you are providing care to the children of essential workers, we wanted to give you a few important steps to take to protect yourself in the short and long term.

Remember, providers who receive funding from the subsidy program will still get paid from the state. You must make sure that your recipients are not allowing their voucher to expire. For those recipients up for re-determination, you will get an automatic extension. Recipients can send in their re-determination information electronically if documents are available. You will also get an extension for any EXCELS documentation that is coming due. MSDE should be releasing more information in reference to these matters.

Below are answers to some of your most pressing questions as well as helpful links to the forms you may need to complete and the information you will need during this emergency.

FAQs

How do I immediately protect my income and my business?

First, apply to become an MSDE-Approved Essential Personnel Child Care Site. This is critical if you would like to reopen and provide child care to the children of essential personnel. Please note however that according to the Division of Early Childhood, only providers who have conducted a deep cleaning of their facility and who have sought and gained approval to be part of the Maryland Essential Child Care Network may reopen to care for the children of essential personnel. Only the children of essential personnel may be in child care and only at approved essential care providers during the closure.

You can also look into loans and grants from the Maryland COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund, get guidance from the Maryland Department of Labor on the COVID-19 Layoff Aversion Fund to protect employees and apply for small business loans and/or disaster relief from the United States Small Business Administration.

Also, pull together all of your monthly bills. Begin to prioritize them and contact your creditors to see if you need to defer or delay payments. NOTE: You cannot be evicted or have your power or utilities shut off during the COVID-19 Crisis.

What resources are available for healthcare and nutrition?

Support and nutrition resources are available from the Maryland Food bank. Additionally, the Maryland State Department of Education is providing this information for children who require nutritional support from the emergency lunch program.

Make sure your health is protected. If you do not currently have healthcare, go to the Maryland Health Care Exchange and sign up today.

What do I need to communicate with my parents?

Your parents are your partners in this emergency. Some may not still be getting paid at work, and some may not know if their job is secure at all. It may be time to get creative and cooperative with your parents by making plans for partial or alternative payment so that they can still afford the care you provide and you can still keep your business up and running. The fact is that this is an incredibly stressful time for both parents and providers. Here are some tips about having productive conversations with parents at difficult times.

Also, make sure your parents understand the state closure language. It’s important that they understand whether or not they qualify as an essential employee under the Governor’s Executive Order. You should help them fill out the forms to keep their children in your care.

Finally, ff you need help stocking up on cleaning supplies and food, ask your parents if they could be helpful in picking up supplies and food. We all want to work together to provide a safe and healthy environment for their kids.

What do I need to do to make sure my business and I are OK in the long term?

Check back to important websites like SEIU Local 500, MSDE and the CDC. Look for opportunities to apply for small business grants and grants specifically for Family Child Care Providers. Currently, these are the grants being offered through MSDE. We are advocating right now to make sure that providers are part of any resource packages from the State of Maryland.

Check out your eligibility for unemployment. During the COVID-19 crisis, you may be able to apply for unemployment even if you are not totally out of a job. Unemployment can help you if have lost partial revenue.

You can also look at the CDC’s resources for schools and child care providers for other ideas.

What do I do if I need someone to talk to?

Stay connected to other providers!  If you need support reach out to the providers in your neighborhood. We all need to support each other at this time.

The union’s child care provider leaders have also made themselves available as resources to their fellow providers in this time. You can reach them by phone or by email:

Aletheia McCaskill  tendertots@verizon.net  (443) 677-4539

Fatima Whitmore  fatimawhitmore@yahoo.com  (443) 857-1324

Crystal Barksdale  barksdale714@gmail.com  (443) 838-6856

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